Wheel and track system

ABSTRACT

The wheel and track system comprises conventional rails on which the head cross-section can be also circular, semi-circular or oval, using with these main conventional wheels or pulley wheels, which support most of the wagon weight, having a roughly semi-circular cross-section channel between the web and the skid of the rail on one or both sides, in which inclined wheels rest, which have a peripheral or edge curvature also of semi-circular cross-section, to avoid derailment and support a part of the weight. In this way the rail can be used with mixed type wheels simultaneously or with wheels of just one type, depending on the vehicle used. This rail can also be used by actual trains.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This patent claims the priority date of Spanish Patent P200100426 filed on Feb. 23, 2000. The basis for priority in this case is the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (613 O.G. 23. 53 Stat 1748) The Spanish patent application was filed in the Official Patent and Trademark Office of Spain.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] On rail transport.

[0004] 2. State of the Prior Art

[0005] At present trains have little coupling or lateral stability on the rail because of the imperfect contact between wheel and rail, moreover the wheels tend to displace the rail laterally in the same direction and have to be heavy to provide stability vertically.

[0006] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The wheel and track system is characterised by using conventional rails on which the head cross-section can be also circular, semi-circular or oval, using with these main conventional wheels or pulley wheels, which support most of the wagon weight, having a roughly semi-circular cross-section channel between the web and the skid of the rail on one or both sides, in which inclined wheels rest, which have a peripheral or edge curvature also of semi-circular cross-section, to avoid derailment and support a part of the weight. In this way the rail can be used with mixed type wheels simultaneously or with wheels of just one type, depending on the vehicle used. This rail can also be used by actual trains.

[0008] Can be used pulley wheels on which the bottom of the pulley throat is of a cross-section slightly less than a semi-circumference, the rail head being approximately circular in cross-section and of less radius, allowing for a small lateral rotation between the two.

[0009] Bigger pulley wheels rest on the rail vertically, supporting the biggest wagon weight, the smaller or lateral pulley wheels hold or secure the wagon and avoid derailment.

[0010] The pairs of wheels rest on the rail laterally on both sides with the same inclination, or said inclination can be variable to avoid wear down the same section.

[0011] It can use only inclined wheels on both sides of the rail.

[0012] In all cases the wheels surround the rail head in such a way that they and, therefore, the wagons remain secure, allowing them to run only longitudinally, and avoiding derailment.

[0013] It can use conventional vertical wheels or pulley wheels and inclined wheels on only one side of the rail, remaining the rail sufficiently surrounded and secured with the wheels.

[0014] It can use only vertical wheels or semi-pulleys on both side of the rail, having said rail both edges rounded.

[0015] The curvature of the pulley wheel throat and/or of the rail web are convex to some degree to prevent a large surface contact between the two wheel-rail contact is better than with standard trains wheels avoiding or reducing jerking, cutting wear and making wear more even.

[0016] The rail heads and webs are arranged vertically.

[0017] The skids can or not use a recess to be secured to the sleepers.

[0018] The shock absorbers can be made with plates, extensions of the supports of the shaft and bearing assemblies, which become totally cover with rubber inside a chamber which are secured or take part of the wagon chassis, this is specially useful in the case of railroads where there is no holes and a small damping is needed.

[0019] The shock absorbers, breaking, traction, etc., are as in conventional systems.

[0020] Advantages: absence of jerking, very little lateral shock-absorption is required, and high speeds are possible, cannot derail, very light weight rails can be used by conventional trains, wagons do not require ballast or be heavy. Energy is saved and can be used high speeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021]FIG. 1 shows a partial schematic cross-section view of the track and wheels in the invention.

[0022] FIGS. 2 to 9 show partial schematic cross-section views of different variants of tracks and wheels.

[0023]FIG. 10 shows a partial schematic cross-section view of a shock-absorption system.

MORE DATAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024]FIG. 1 consists of the conventional wheel (1), its shaft (4), the strip or fixing springs (2) of the skid (7), the conventional rail head (5), the web (6), the lateral channels (10), it uses the two lateral and inclined wheels (8 and 8′) and their shafts (40 and 41). The wheel (1) can have its flange or edge towards the inside or outside of the track.

[0025]FIG. 2 consists of the conventional wheel (1), its shaft (4), the strip or fixing springs (2) of the skid (7), the conventional rail head (5), the web (6) with its walls inclined toward the bottom or with “V” shape, the lateral channel (10), it adds only lateral and inclined wheel (8) and its shaft (40). The wheel (1) can have its flange or edge towards the inside or outside of the track. The web narrowed toward the bottom provide a better hold or attaching of the lateral wheels (8) and accordingly of the wagon.

[0026]FIG. 3 consists of the strip or fixing springs (2) of the skid (7), the conventional rail head (5), the web (6), the lateral channel (10), it uses only the two lateral and inclined wheels (8 and 8′) and their shafts (40 and 41).

[0027]FIG. 4 consists of the pulley wheel (3) and its shaft (42), the strip or fixing spring (2), the semi-circular rail head (5), the web (6), the lateral channel (10), the inclined lateral wheel (8) and its shaft (40).

[0028]FIG. 5 consists of the strip or fixing springs (2) of the skid (7), the conventional rail head with their upper flanges or edges rounded (5), the web (6), the lateral channel (10), the lateral and inclined wheels (8 and 8′), the semi-pulleys (9 and 9′) and their shafts (4 and 4).

[0029]FIG. 6 consists of the pulley wheels (3) and their shafts (42), the sleeper (7), the circular cross-section rail head (5) and the web (6).

[0030]FIG. 7 consists of the pulley wheels (3) and their shafts (42), the skids (7 and 7′), the circular cross-section rail head (5) and the web (6). This pulley wheels are less inclined than in FIG. 6.

[0031]FIG. 8 consists of the pulley wheels (3 and 3′) and their shafts (4 and 4′), their throats (18, 28 and 38), the strips fixing springs (2 and 2′), the skid (7), the cross-section rail head (5) and the web (6).

[0032]FIG. 9 consists of the wagon (11), the pulley wheel (3) and its shaft (4), the strip or fixing spring (2), the skid (7), the semi-circular cross-section rail head (5), the web (6), the inclined wheels (8 and 8′) their shaft (40), the lateral channels (10 and 10′) and the sleeper (20).

[0033]FIG. 10 consists of the pulley wheel (3), its shaft (4), the wagon (11), the plates extensions of the supports of the shafts and bearing assembly (13) surrounded with shock absorber rubber (14). 

What I claim is:
 1. A wheel and track system comprising: main vertical wheels; two rails, formed by webs, heads and skids; roughly semi-circular cross-section channel between the web and the skid of the rail on both sides, in which inclined wheels rest, which have a peripheral or edge curvature also of semi-circular cross-section, and shock absorbers.
 2. A wheel and track system according to claim 1, wherein the main or vertical wheels and the rail head are of the conventional type.
 3. A wheel and track system according to claim 1, wherein are used pulley wheels on which the bottom of the pulley throat is of a cross-section slightly less than a semi-circumference, the rail head being approximately circular in cross-section and of less radius, allowing for a small lateral rotation between the two.
 4. A wheel and track system according to claim 1, wherein the pairs of wheels rest on the rail laterally on both sides with the same inclination.
 5. A wheel and track system according to claim 1, wherein the pairs of wheels rest on the rail laterally on both with a different angle of inclination.
 6. A wheel and track system according to claim 1, wherein are used only inclined wheels on both sides of the rail.
 7. A wheel and track system according to claim 1, wherein are used conventional vertical wheels or pulley wheels and inclined wheels on only one side of the rail.
 8. A wheel and track system according to claim 1, wherein are used semi-pulleys on both side of the rail, having said rail both edges rounded.
 9. A wheel and track system according to claim 1, wherein the curvature of the pulley wheel throat and/or of the rail web are convex to some degree to prevent a large surface contact between the two wheel-rail.
 10. A wheel and track system according to claim 1, wherein the skids use a recess to be secured to the sleepers.
 11. A wheel and track system according to claim 1, wherein the skids do not use a recess to be secured to the sleepers.
 12. A wheel and track system according to claim 1, wherein the shock absorbers are made with plates, extensions of the supports of the shaft and bearing assemblies, which become totally cover with rubber inside a chamber which are secured or take part of the wagon chassis. 